Relationship between self-efficacy and sexual function after open heart surgery

The high level of self-efficacy that facilitates the adaptation of patients to their new lives and accelerates the healing process after open heart surgery has a positive effect on sexual function. The aims of the study are to examine the self-efficacy and sexual function of patients undergoing open heart surgery and factors affecting it.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 76 patients (44 females, 32 males). The data were collected with an information form, Barnason Efficacy Expectation Scales (BEES): Cardiac Surgical Version, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), International Index of Erectile Dysfunction (IIEF), and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). The mean age of the patients was 63.12 ± 7.91. It was found that 30.3% of the patients (73.9% female and 26.1% male) were sexually inactive, and they did not receive information about sexual function. The mean BEES: Cardiac Surgical Version score was 43.96 ± 6.07. The mean IIEF score was 19.07 ± 26.0, and the mean FSFI score was 15.67 ± 9.12. There was a positive correlation between BEES: Cardiac Surgical Version and IIEF (r = 0.34; P = 0.00), and there was a negative correlation between BEES: Cardiac Surgical Version and FSFI (r = -0.27; P = 0.01).

It was determined that patients did not have sufficient information about sexual life after open heart surgery. The patients had sexual problems after surgery. It was found that sexual function increased with increasing self-efficacy in men, while sexual function decreased with increasing self-efficacy in women.